The Love of My Life

We hear it all the time, from every woman who thinks she's found THE ONE.

"He's the love of my life!" she gushes.
The only problem is... she hasn't had a life yet.
In the first blushes of romance, many things can blind a woman to reality. The man's on his best behavior; the sex (if they've gone there yet) is terrific; they only see each other in the most ideal of circumstances.

Dr. Phil has somewhat jokingly said that "You should never marry someone until you've seen him with the flu." That "flu" can be a stand-in for such things as catastrophic illness or injury; a severe downturn in one's financial situation; or really bad times for a number of reasons, such as the loss of a child or one born with life-threatening or severe long-term problems. The economy crashes; a terrorist or non-affiliated loose-cannon loner wreaks havoc on an otherwise average family. There are home invasions and fires, carbon monoxide leaks and floods. What if your man becomes impotent, for physical or psychological reasons (raped as a child, for example)? What if he loses interest in sex? Can your love survive in its purest form, without that generally accepted component of marriage?

Many couples today start their life together with two incomes and anticipate a certain standard of living. But in this age of downsizings and company closings, can they be happy with a more modest existence? Or will they begin to take out their frustrations on each other?

What about in-law problems, forced job relocations, child-rearing disagreements, religious differences, changing priorities or goals?
What happens when his six-pack abs go south and soft, when his hair thins and tumbles. when his teeth spend their nights in a glass? In other words, real life intrudes on that cozy love nest for two, where it is tempting and oh-so-easy to shut the rest of the world out. But trouble comes knocking on everyone's door sooner or later.It is only then, when your commitment to each other has been battle-tested and survived; when you know that you would rather face the worst of times with him than the best of times with anyone else, that you earn the right to say that he is truly the love of your life.
As for that other ubiquitous term, "soul mate," may I suggest that the true measure of a man's soul is how he comes through these realities of life and how he relates to you in the process. It has nothing to do with the fact that you like the same music, food, or activities.

Are you first in all things, at all times? Or do you take a back seat to his career, his leisure activities, his family or friends? After forty-five years of marriage, in countless ways, my husband has defined for me the true meaning of "the love of my life" and "my soul mate." And when your relationship has withstood the test of time and trials, you'll finally know that your man is those things to you, too.

You say he's the love of your life and your soul mate, but is he, really? What do those terms mean? The answer may surprise you.

Article Source: EzineArticles